RB Darrin Reaves Arrested
It might be a while before we see Darrin Reaves sign with a team. The free agent running back was arrested over the weekend after an alleged a domestic incident involving two women (via WRMJ). 
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Details are sparse, but what we do know is that Reaves faces two felony counts of unlawful restraint plus a misdemeanor count of criminal trespassing. The state’s attorney’s office says that Reaves had a previous relationship with one of the women and both have filed restraining orders against him. The running back is currently free on $10K bond but is due back in court on July 10.
Reaves first entered the league as a UDFA with the Panthers in 2014. He then spent time on the Chiefs’ practice squad from 2015 to 2017. Two months ago, KC released the 24-year-old.
Lions Sign DTs Ego Ferguson, Bruce Gaston
The Lions have signed free agent defensive tackles Ego Ferguson and Bruce Gaston, the team announced. To make room on the roster, the Lions waived defensive tackles Nick James and Maurice Swain. 
Ferguson has now signed contracts with three of the NFC North’s four teams this offseason. After being cut by the Bears in April, Ferguson’s deal with the Packers was scuttled when he could not pass a physical. Apparently, he was healthy enough this week to sign a deal with Detroit. If he doesn’t make the Lions’ 53-man roster, perhaps he can try his luck with the Vikings.
Ferguson, 26 in September, appeared in all 16 games during his rookie campaign with the Bears in 2014, but ailments have limited him to just four games since then. The Raiders auditioned him after the Packers deal fell through, but the Lions are the only other team we’ve heard linked to him in the last two months. As Justin Rogers of The Detroit News (on Twitter) notes, Lions fans may remember Ferguson from a 2014 incident in which Lions center Dominic Raiola stepped on Ferguson’s leg. That dirty play resulted in a one-game suspension for Raiola.
Gaston, another former Bear, appeared in seven games for Chicago in 2015. Last year, he was with the Panthers’ practice squad. Gaston had shoulder surgery in 2016, but he has likely recovered by now.
Extra Points: Jets, Kap, OBJ, Megatron
The Jets moved on from linebacker David Harris and wide receiver Eric Decker solely for financial reasons, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Jets owner Woody Johnson, realizing that the team wasn’t going to compete this year even with Harris and Decker, decided it would make more sense to save $13.75MM than spend it on the two veterans. Committing to a rebuild is a commendable approach, writes Mehta, though he questions the way the Jets handled the Harris situation. Jets bigwigs assured Harris back in March that he’d return to the team for an 11th year, but they then approached him about a pay cut 72 hours before releasing him, per Mehta. Johnson’s desire to save money drove that decision, and Harris is now looking for work at a time when free agency has died down. Harris’ agents complained Tuesday that the Jets didn’t just release the defender over the winter, as doing so probably would’ve led to a stronger market for his services.
As for two of Johnson’s highest-ranking employees, general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles, they should be in line to return in 2018 if the rebuilding club’s young players progress this year, writes Mehta. But Brian Costello of the New York Post passes along somewhat different information, relaying that Maccagnan will probably stay on but that “Bowles is viewed as a goner by nearly everyone.” Talent-wise, the deck is stacked against Bowles as he enters his third season with the Jets and the penultimate year of his contract. “They have the worst roster in the league and it’s not close,” one executive told Costello. Harris’ release added another hole to the roster, and his exit hit Bowles “hard,” according to Costello.
- Colin Kaepernick‘s inability to find a job as a backup quarterback continues to be a popular topic, and one of his friends, Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin, weighed in on the matter after Seattle signed Austin Davis instead of Kaepernick. “The organizations, they’re going to be giving the younger guys the first and second look. They know what Colin can do,” Baldwin told the Associated Press on Tuesday. “They know he’s a starter in this league. They’re going to give every opportunity for the young guys to compete, show their talents, and then whatever falls he’ll get his opportunities once all this dust settles.” While many believe Kaepernick is unemployed largely because the then-49er refused to stand for the national anthem last season, Baldwin doesn’t see that as a significant factor. “To some degree, but I think that’s really minor,” Baldwin said. “There are 32 teams out there. Not all of them really care about that. I have no doubt in my mind he’ll have a job here rather quickly.”
- With one report suggesting that Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. hasn’t attended OTAs because he wants a raise, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk contends that it would likely take a multiyear deal with at least $30MM guaranteed to lock him up. Meanwhile, Steve Serby of the New York Post proposes a six-year, $103.5MM contract – including $47.5MM guaranteed – that would make Beckham the game’s highest-paid wideout.
- Contrary to a prior report, Calvin Johnson did not repay the Lions $320K of his $3.2MM signing bonus when he retired in March 2016. The former receiver actually forked over a much larger sum, at least $1MM, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
NFC Notes: OBJ, Rodgers, E. Decker, Lions
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday morning that Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been away from OTAs because he wants a new contract. That isn’t the case, according to The Record’s Art Stapleton, as a source told him that Beckham’s absence amounts to nothing more than a player exercising his right to skip voluntary workouts. Regardless of where the truth lies, the Giants are motivated to keep the 24-year-old superstar for the long haul. Contract negotiations haven’t begun yet, co-owner John Mara revealed Tuesday, but he added, “Obviously we want him to be a Giant for the rest of his career.”
More from the NFC:
- Even though he has fallen to fifth among quarterbacks in average yearly salary ($20MM), the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers isn’t pushing for a raise. At the same time, the 33-year-old realizes a contract extension might be around the corner. “Well, that stuff usually takes care of itself, and I have a fantastic agent, he does a great job. He worries about that stuff,” Rodgers said Tuesday (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com). “When it comes to setting the market values, I let that stuff take care of itself. I know my value in this league, and I know the team appreciates me. I’m going to continue to make myself an indispensable part of this roster. When you do that, when your time comes up to get a contract, you usually get a contract extension.” With his deal on track to expire after the 2019 season, extension talks between the Packers and Rodgers could begin soon, observes the Associated Press, which notes that cap room won’t be an issue for the club when it comes to locking up the two-time MVP.
- With Eric Decker‘s Jets tenure on the verge of ending, the Lions would be wise to add the receiver, opines Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Decker’s history of quality production would continue as part of Detroit’s Matthew Stafford-led offense, argues Rothstein, who points out that Decker is familiar with coordinator Jim Bob Cooter from their time together in Denver in 2013. Further, given that the Lions only found the end zone 54.2 percent of the time in the red zone last year, acquiring the tall, touchdown-scoring Decker would be a boon. Of course, the Lions might have to win a bidding war for Decker, which isn’t a guarantee considering they’re toward the bottom of the league in cap space (just over $9MM).
- With La’el Collins moving from left guard to right tackle, the Cowboys will need someone to take over his previous position. That could be tackle Chaz Green, who has been working as the Cowboys’ first-team left guard during OTAs, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. Green, whom injuries have limited to four appearances in two seasons, told George that the Cowboys approached him about changing positions last week. The 2015 third-round pick is embracing the move, saying: “It’s an opportunity with the ones [first team]. I don’t care where I am. I just want to put my best foot forward and show that I cannot drop off when I’m out there and better yet help the team when I’m out there.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/7/17
Wednesday’s minor NFL moves:
- The Bengals announced that they’ve signed fifth-round pick J.J. Dielman, the 176th selection in this year’s draft. With the former Utah interior offensive lineman under contract, the Bengals have now locked up 10 of their 11 picks. Only third-round defensive end Jordan Willis is without a deal.
- The Redskins are expected to sign cornerback Lou Young, as Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Washington would be the fifth team for Young, an undrafted free agent in 2014. Young made his regular-season debut last year with the Panthers and appeared in six of their games, but he only played 11 defensive snaps.
- The Packers have signed cornerback Daquan Holmes and waived fellow corner David Rivers with an injury designation, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Holmes went undrafted this year out of American International. Rivers also went unpicked this year, after playing college football at Youngstown State.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC Rumors: Maclin, Ravens, Chiefs, Jets
Free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin just wrapped up a two-day trip to Buffalo, and his visit with the Ravens is also likely to span a pair of days, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links). The Ravens “want” Maclin, notes Zrebiec, and Josina Anderson of ESPN adds (via Twitter) that they’re “very interested.” But Zrebiec cautions that the Ravens aren’t the only team vying for Maclin, suggesting they’ll face competition from Buffalo and others if they enter negotiations with the 29-year-old.
More from Baltimore and two other AFC cities:
- Even though the Ravens have lost two of their top pass catchers from last season in retired receiver Steve Smith and just-released tight end Dennis Pitta, they’ll “significantly” improve their aerial attack by adding Maclin or soon-to-be former Jet Eric Decker, opines Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. It’s “critical” the Ravens pick up one of the two, argues Hensley, given that they lost out on the likes of Brandon Marshall and Pierre Garcon earlier this offseason. Now, with the extra cap space they’ve gotten this week by releasing Pitta and cornerback Kyle Arrington, they could be in position to give a much-needed boost to their receiving corps.
- The Jets have spent the offseason throwing veterans overboard, with Decker and linebacker David Harris being the latest to go, and have seemingly put themselves in position to land the first overall pick in next year’s draft. One league executive seems to believe they’re a shoo-in to finish 32nd this year, telling Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, “I think the Jets might have the worst roster I’ve seen in a decade” (Twitter link).
- Maclin’s release could leave a void in the Chiefs’ receiving corps, but head coach Andy Reid seems content with the team’s current options, writes Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. “I’ve got a ton of trust in the young guys that they’ll step up and do a good job for us,” Reid said. “We’ve got enough talent here to do whatever we need to do. I don’t worry about that.” One beneficiary of Maclin’s exit could be second-year man Demarcus Robinson, a fourth-round pick in 2016 who only played five offensive snaps as a rookie. Despite his lack of experience, Robinson has impressed Reid this offseason. “He’s the young one that’s come up here a little bit and had a pretty good offseason,” Reid commented. “We’ll see how he does once we get going in the preseason.
Redskins, Kirk Cousins Making Progress
The July 15 deadline for Redskins franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins to sign an extension is approaching, and there are finally signs that a deal could get done. There has been an “improved, encouraging tone” in recent talks between the two sides, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN. Discussions have gone so well that there’s hope the Redskins will be able to re-sign Cousins after the season if they’re unable to reach an agreement with him by next month, according to Schefter.
“There’s no doubt it’s been more positive lately,” a source familiar with these negotiations told Schefter. “Everything has been much more positive in the past several months.”
It’s unclear if the Redskins have upped their offer from the reported five-year, $20MM-per-annum contract they were willing to give Cousins earlier this offseason. But one thing is certain, per Schefter: Owner Daniel Snyder wants Cousins in the fold for the long haul. Perhaps at Snyder’s behest, team president Bruce Allen and Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, had a face-to-face meeting at last month’s owners meetings. That was the first time the two sat down together since the Redskins first placed the franchise tag on Cousins last offseason.
In 2017, his second straight year as Washington’s franchise player, Cousins is slated to rake in a $23.94MM salary. While that’s a tenable amount for a quarterback of the 28-year-old Cousins’ caliber, tagging him again next offseason won’t be nearly as easy. Doing so would cost the Redskins upward of $34MM, leading Schefter to point out that Cousins is the one with the leverage in discussions between him and the team. Unsurprisingly, then, the Redskins seem more willing than they were in the past to recognize Cousins’ long-term value, writes Schefter.
Cousins, who entered the NFL in 2012 as a fourth-round pick and a backup to Robert Griffin III, has certainly looked like part of the solution for the Redskins since he took over for RG3 as their No. 1 signal-caller prior to the 2016 season. The ex-Michigan State Spartan has started 32 straight games, thrown 54 touchdowns against 23 interceptions, amassed over 9,000 yards (4,917 last year) and completed 68 percent of passes since grabbing the reins in Washington.
Cardinals Move Andre Ellington Back To RB
The Cardinals’ experiment of moving Andre Ellington to wide receiver is over. Starting today, he is back to practicing as a running back, coach Bruce Arians told reporters (Twitter link via Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic). 
We typically don’t cover position changes in great detail here at Pro Football Rumors, but Ellington’s switch is notable since it could impact other moves made by the Cardinals this summer. For one, Ellington’s move back to RB could hurt Chris Johnson‘s chances of returning to the team. Now, Ellington and Kerwynn Williams stand as the top reserves behind starter David Johnson with youngsters T.J. Logan and Eli Penny jockeying for roster spots.
Ellington’s classification as a running back may also improve the chances of receivers like Brittan Golden, Jeremy Ross, and Marquis Bundy of making the roster. With Ellington back at his original position, the Cards’ top five receivers are Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, J.J. Nelson, third round pick Chad Williams, and Jaron Brown.
Ellington, 28, had just 96 rushing yards off of 34 carries last season. He also added 12 grabs for 85 yards. His best season arguably came as a rookie in 2013 when he ran for 652 yards off of 118 carries (5.5 ypc) and three scores. In that year, he also had 39 receptions for 371 yards and one score.
Jeremy Maclin Heads To Ravens Visit
Jeremy Maclin‘s visit to the Bills wound up spanning two days, but it won’t keep him from meeting with the Ravens. The free agent is leaving Buffalo and heading to Baltimore, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
Maclin could still sign with the Bills, as far as we know, but he does not have a deal with them at this time. That leaves the door open for the Ravens to swoop in and potentially land him this week. The Eagles and Browns are also among the clubs said to have interest in the 29-year-old.
The Ravens have Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman, Chris Moore, and Michael Campanaro as their top receivers following the retirement of Steve Smith. Because Baltimore did not address the position in the draft, a veteran addition like Maclin would make tons of sense for the team and the need to add a weapon for Joe Flacco has only been amplified by Dennis Pitta‘s injury/release.
If the Ravens cannot get a deal done with Maclin, they could explore a potential deal for Jets receiver Eric Decker. The Jets have already called the Ravens about a swap.
Ravens Release TE Dennis Pitta
The Ravens have formally released tight end Dennis Pitta, according to a team announcement. Pitta’s career could be over after he suffered yet another hip dislocation. 
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The move will free up roughly $2MM in cap room for Baltimore, money that could be directed towards landing another pass-catcher. The Ravens could have free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in their sights and that extra space could be a difference maker.
For several years, Pitta has been dealing with painful hip issues that have kept him off the field. The tight end was limited to just seven games between 2013 and 2015, but he became a focal point of Baltimore’s offense once again in 2016 as he caught 86 passes for 729 yards and two scores. Ever the team player, he even accepted a pay cut for the second straight time this offseason. He’ll be free to pursue other opportunities now, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be able to suit up again.
The Ravens also signed rookie free agent tight end Barrett Burns in a related move.